Over the past decade, we have repaired more than 18,000 water-damaged Apple devices. The question we hear most often is simple: "How much will this cost?" The honest answer is that water damage pricing depends entirely on what the water touched, how quickly you brought it in, and whether corrosion has already begun spreading through the logic board.
What Water Damage Actually Costs: From Assessment to Full Repair
When you bring a water-damaged device to our workshop, the first step is always a diagnostic assessment. This costs R599 (inc VAT), and that fee is non-refundable but will be credited toward your repair if you proceed. We need that assessment to give you accurate pricing because water damage isn't like a cracked screen, the damage is invisible until we open the device and inspect the logic board under magnification.
For a basic liquid damage cleanup on an iPhone, removing the battery, flushing the logic board with isopropyl alcohol, and drying thoroughly, expect to pay between R1,200 and R2,500. This works if the phone was submerged for less than an hour and brought to us within 24 hours. If corrosion has begun (visible as white or green residue on the board), the cost rises to R3,500-R5,200 because we need to remove individual components, clean each one separately, and sometimes replace corroded connectors.
For MacBooks, water damage repair is typically more expensive. A 13-inch MacBook Air with liquid damage caught early might cost R2,800-R4,500 for board cleaning and drying. But if the keyboard was the entry point and water reached the logic board near the processor or memory chips, we're looking at R5,500-R9,800 because component-level repair or replacement becomes necessary. A 16-inch MacBook Pro with extensive liquid damage can exceed R12,000 if we need to replace the storage drive, memory modules, or the entire logic board itself.
iPad water damage sits somewhere in between. A standard iPad with liquid damage costs R1,500-R3,800 for cleaning and drying. iPad Pro models with liquid damage that reaches the logic board can escalate to R6,200-R10,500 depending on the model generation and extent of corrosion.
All water damage repairs we carry out include a 3-year warranty on the repair itself, not the device, but specifically the work we've done. If corrosion returns on components we've cleaned or if the connection we've re-soldered fails, you're covered.
Why Water Damage Costs Vary So Widely
The variation in pricing comes down to five factors: time elapsed, depth of penetration, corrosion stage, component accessibility, and device architecture.
Time elapsed is critical. If you bring your iPhone to us within 4 hours of water exposure, we can often prevent significant corrosion. If you wait three days and try to charge it repeatedly (which accelerates chemical corrosion), the damage spreads exponentially. We've seen devices brought in after a week in a drawer where corrosion has destroyed five or six components, turning a R2,000 repair into a R8,500 one.
Depth of penetration matters because different liquids cause different damage. Saltwater from the ocean is far more corrosive than fresh water. Coffee contains sugars that caramelize on circuit traces. Seawater causes corrosion almost immediately. Fresh water is the least damaging, but any water that reaches the logic board will eventually cause problems if not cleaned professionally.
Corrosion stage determines whether we can clean and salvage components or whether we need to replace them entirely. Early corrosion (visible as dull white residue) can often be cleaned away. Advanced corrosion (where traces have lifted from the board or components have lost their conductive coating) usually requires component-level replacement, which doubles or triples the repair cost.
Component accessibility varies. An iPhone 14 or 15 is relatively straightforward to disassemble and clean. Older iPhones (iPhone 6 or 7) are still manageable. But iPhone 13 Pro models with their ceramic shield require more careful handling, and some newer iPads have bonded screens that increase the labour cost significantly.
Device architecture also plays a role. Devices with soldered-on memory and storage (most modern Apple devices) cannot have those components replaced if they fail due to water damage. If water has corroded the storage controller, we must replace the entire logic board, a R6,000-R10,000+ repair depending on the device.
Our Water Damage Process: Why Professional Cleaning Matters
The reason you shouldn't attempt to dry a water-damaged device at home is that distilled water alone won't remove the dissolved minerals and salts that cause corrosion. Here's what we actually do in our Hyde Park workshop:
First, we remove the battery immediately to stop any electrical current flowing through wet traces. Second, we use an ultrasonic cleaner filled with isopropyl alcohol (99% concentration) to agitate and dissolve corrosion at a microscopic level, something a hairdryer simply cannot achieve. Third, we inspect under a digital microscope at 200× magnification to identify exactly which components need attention. Fourth, we apply specialist flux (a chemical that prevents re-oxidation) to cleaned traces and re-flow any cold solder joints caused by the water exposure. Finally, we dry using a combination of warm air circulation and desiccant chambers to ensure no residual moisture remains.
This entire process typically takes 3-5 working days. We will not rush a water damage repair because rushing leads to repeat failures. When clients ask if we can do it faster, we say no, and that commitment to proper drying time is why our water damage repairs stick.
For more detailed information on how we handle liquid damage at the component level, visit our liquid damage repair page.
Is It Worth Repairing, or Should I Replace the Device?
This is a genuine question we're asked weekly. The answer depends on the device's age and the repair cost relative to replacement.
If you have a 2-year-old iPhone 15 Pro and water damage repair will cost R4,500, that's roughly 20% of a new device cost, it's worth repairing. If you have a 2015 MacBook Air and water damage repair will cost R7,500 (when a refurbished Air costs R8,000-R10,000), replacing might make more sense. If you have a brand-new iPad Pro and the repair cost is R8,000 out of a R15,000+ purchase price, repair is still the sensible choice.
What often tips the decision is whether there's secondary damage. If water also damaged the keyboard, trackpad, or screen, those additional repairs add to the cost. Sometimes, however, we can source used but functional keyboards or screens as replacements, which is far cheaper than repairing corroded circuit components. We'll always give you transparent pricing on repair versus replacement before we start work.
Load Shedding and Water Damage: A Johannesburg Consideration
One thing unique to Johannesburg's repair landscape is how load shedding affects water damage timelines. When we're in stages 5-6 load shedding, our workshop still operates because we have backup power for diagnostic equipment. However, some of the ultrasonic and drying processes require sustained power for 8-12 hours. During severe load shedding, we sometimes need to extend turnaround by 1-2 days simply to complete drying cycles safely. We always inform clients of this when they drop off a device.
Getting Your Device Assessed
If your Apple device has water damage, bring it to us as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours. Don't attempt charging it, don't try to dry it with heat, and don't open it yourself. Our R599 diagnostic assessment will tell you exactly what you're facing and what it will cost to repair.
WhatsApp us on 064 529 5863 to describe the damage briefly, or book online at zasupport.com/book for a drop-off appointment at our Hyde Park location. We're open Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:30, and Saturday 10:00-14:00.
If your device has also suffered physical damage alongside the water exposure, we can often handle both repairs. See our logic board repair services for devices with impact or manufacturing defects.
For Apple's own guidance on liquid damage, refer to Apple's official water resistance information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will Apple warranty cover water damage?
No. Apple's standard warranty explicitly excludes liquid damage. However, if your device has AppleCare+, liquid damage is covered under the accidental damage provision, you'll pay a service fee (typically R1,000-R1,800 depending on the device), and Apple will replace or repair the device. Many clients don't realise this, so check your AppleCare+ terms if you have it.
Q: How long does water damage repair take?
For a straightforward liquid damage clean-up, 3-5 working days. This includes ultrasonic cleaning, drying cycles, and re-testing. We never rush because incomplete drying causes failures weeks later. If component replacement is needed, add 2-3 days for parts sourcing.
Q: Can water damage be invisible at first?
Absolutely. A device might seem to work fine immediately after water exposure because the water hasn't yet caused resistance failures. But over hours or days, corrosion spreads and the device will suddenly stop charging, won't recognise the SIM card, or suffers random reboots. If your device has been submerged, don't assume it's okay, bring it for assessment.
Q: What's the difference between fresh water and salt water damage?
Saltwater is far more corrosive and begins damaging components within hours. Fresh water is less aggressive chemically, but it still conducts electricity and can cause shorts. If your device went into the sea, get it to us within 12 hours. Fresh water exposure gives you 24-48 hours before corrosion becomes serious.
Q: Do you offer trade-in credit if repair isn't worthwhile?
Yes. If we assess your device and the repair cost is close to replacement cost, we'll buy the device from you at a fair second-hand price and apply that as credit toward a refurbished replacement device. This typically only makes sense for older models where repair costs are high relative to current value.
Q: Is there anything I should do before bringing the device in?
Yes: switch it off immediately and don't switch it back on. Don't charge it, don't plug in a charger, and don't use any heat source. Place it in a container with uncooked rice or silica gel packets if you have them, but don't wait longer than 24 hours to bring it in. Professional ultrasonic cleaning works far better than any DIY drying method.
